‘Hey buddy, the figures show something different’

“Within the crop group, we can no longer fool each other as before. When the beamer goes on and the members of the gerbera excursion group look back at the past period together, we can compare chalk and chalk as opposed to chalk and cheese, thanks to LetsGrow.” says Aad van der Wilt. He grows 20 types of mini gerberas in a modern company covering more than three hectares in Mijdrecht.

He was initially sceptical when it was suggested within the excursion group that crop data would be compared on LetsGrow.com. Would the expenditure be recouped eventually? Almost four years on, he looks at this in a very different way. “I am extremely positive about the possibilities. I start my day’s work by looking first at my graphics and also the graphics of the excursion group. What have the others done with their sun blinds, when was the last time they ran their drip and what does the Pyrgeometer at Bastille nursery show about the radiation overnight? You learn a lot this way, even though you are not always aware of it.”

Tomorrow the excursion group will reunite. Distance is not an issue, people coming from as far as Klazinaveen in the east and from Venlo. They will be in attendence. A week ahead of the meeting advisor Jan van der Steen prepares a number of key issues. Based on this, a number of growing tips are given for the coming period.

Do you ever tire of this way of working? Van der Wilt: “You want to remain sharp and I am convinced that the way in which we now exchange information will stay pertinent for many years. Due to the fact that the auctions are done by name, delivering a consistantly high quality is a prerequisite . The current way of cooperating certainly aids this.”

To the question of what he would like to see done differently at LetsGrow.com, he admits he is not keen on the access to the helpdesk via servicetickets. “When I need them and fill in a service ticket, they call me back when I am in the garden. Calling to and fro to solve simple issues is ineffective. You need to address this.”